December 14, 2015

Irmo Middle School

6051 Wescott Road
Columbia, SC 29212
(803) 476-3600
www.lexrich5.org/ims
School Hours:
8:20 a.m.3:35 p.m.

The Buzz at Irmo Middle School

Creating successful students for the challenges of tomorrow
rsjackso@lexrich5.org

Robert S. Jackson, Ed.S., Principal

https://twitter.com/IMS_Principal

Inside this issue:

Parachute Bracelets
2
Super Superlatives
3
Middle Years
4-5
ChicFilA Calendar Card Info 6

ChicFilA Order Form

7
Individual Graduation Plans 8

Dates to Remember:
Mon 12/14
ELA and Science
Exams
Chorus Winter
Concert @ Irmo High
Aud. 7 PM
C Team Basketball @
Home vs. Meadow
Glenn 5:30
Tues 12/15
ELA and Science
Exams
G40 Mtg. 7:45-8:10
Media Center
Wed 12/16
Exploratory Exams
Orchestra Assembly
IMS Gym 8:30 AM
Thurs 12/17
Math, SS and
Exploratory Exams
Orchestra Winter
Concert @ Irmo High
Aud. 7 PM
Fri 12/18
Math and SS exams
FCA Mtg. 7:40-8:10
AM Room 902
Dance Winter
Concert @ Irmo High
Aud. 7 PM

If you have news for the

Buzz, email Allison Redick
at aredick@lexrich5.org.

12/14 ELA & Science

12/16 Reading Day/Exploratory

12/15 ELA & Science

12/17 Math, SS & Exploratory

12/18 - Math & SS

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Based observed safety practices over
the past few weeks, here are a few safety reminders for parents and guardians:

1. If you are dropping your student off or picking them up, make
sure you use the designed car-rider areas (6th & 7th grade - adjacent to Subway, 8th grade adjacent to Wescott Acres Pet Resort).
We are seeing parents dropping kids off on Wescott Road, in the
Irmo High and Crossroads Intermediate lots. We do not have daily
supervision in these areas. Please use the authorized IMS car rider lines.
2. The bus loop in the front of school are for buses only and students with specific medical needs. Please refrain from using this
area to drop off your student. If you have to handle school related
business, we are encouraging all parents to use the visitor parking
spaces and enter the main reception area.
3. When leaving campus (AM and PM) all vehicular traffic must make a
right turn onto Wescott Road. Left turns are not permitted by the SC.
Department of Transportation. Lexington County Sheriff's Department
(LCSD) will be monitoring the area closely to ensure student safety and
an efficient traffic flow. Violators can be cited by the LCSD for noncompliance.
4. Please slow down when you are on campus. We have had several incidents where students were nearly hit by parents who are speeding in the
car rider lines. Stop for all pedestrian traffic and allow students safely
cross the road. Remember, we all must work together to keep our students safe at all times.
Thanks for your cooperation!
Have a wonderful and safe holiday break (December 19 - January 3).

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PARACHUTE BRACELETS AND KEYCHAINS!!

Custom made by IMS students.

Last chance before the holidays! Only $5.00 each!

Great for any Irmo fan. A super gift idea!

These are being sold during most LUNCH periods or contact Mrs. DuPre.
Students are using the money raised to fund a trip to Earthshine Discovery Center, spending 3 days living as
though it were 1840. Half of the students will be settlers, and half will be Cherokee Indians. Students will
spend time at Earthshine not just watching the world of the past, but living it. History will come alive as they
make their own food, learn to use period tools, talk to characters from both sides, and in the end, have their say
in how the conflict can be resolved. The teachers are incorporating this learning into all 4 content areas (with
some artistic expression as well).
Please consider supporting these students in this amazing learning expedition.

Basketball
Schedule

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September Staff Superlatives! Exceptional teachers, staff members, and interactive com-

munication channels are the backbone of our great school. When we have these essential elements in place, they allow us to provide the type of teaching and learning experiences for our students that create the level of readiness needed for high school, college, and tomorrows high demand jobs. Teachers and Support Staff deserve all the recognition that we can give them. On that
note, we are proud to announce the September, Outstanding Teacher, Staff Member, and Digital
Integration Teacher of the Month recipients. With these recognition's, teachers and staff members will have a sign hung above their classroom door, a feature on the website, a formal presentation in
front of their students, preferred parking for the recognition period, a spotlight in the newsletter, and a feature on the school's blog, Facebook page, and Twitter feed.

Teacher of the Month: Ms. Richardson. Irma goes out of her

way to make people and students smile. I have witnessed her reaching
out to students she does not even teach just to make them feel better
about themselves. She has also gone out of her way to cover classes during her planning period. Irma always finds a way to make me laugh even
in tough situations when I think about giving up. She is a great teacher! Irma is the definition of a true team player!
Students learn best when they develop a community of learning in their
classroom. Irma is constantly working on developing this learning community in her class, and the students
are engaged and active every day! When she was absent, the students ran the class so efficiently that I
thought she was still in the classroom. The students learn from Irma even when she is not there. I learn
from her every day and have become a better teacher because of the examples I hear from her class every
day. Thank you for being the wonderful person you are. We are delighted to have you on the IMS team.
Congratulations to Ms. Richardson, our November Teacher of the Month!

Staff of the Month: Ms. Sandra DuPre. Often quiet and working be
hind the scenes, Sandra Dupre, is a critical part of the IMS team. She frequently goes to classrooms to cover for teachers, handles students in difficult
situations, and communicates with parents. Ms. DuPre goes above and beyond to help the team. She is the backbone of the 8thgrade administration and
works constantly to support students, parents and teachers.
Her job can sometimes be difficult but she handles difficult situations by remaining positive and calm. You will never hear a complaint because she truly
enjoys what she does each day and we are so thankful to have her at IMS.
Congratulations Ms. Sandra DuPre, our November Staff of the Month! You deserve it.

Digital Integration Teacher of the Month: Ms. Brittany Frohnhoefer

The most up-to-date and tech-savvy teacher I know! It is hard to argue with
these words shared by the colleague of this months honoree. She is always looking for innovative ways to integrate technology in her classroom. She puts the
time and effort into learning and implementing things in order to enhance learning for her students and keep her students engaged. Eager to share and assist other teachers, she has helped support the Discovery Education set up of teacher and
student accounts, supported her peers in using Google Classroom, and advocated
for additional technology resources. She is not just an awesome teacher, she is a
technology guru. Congratulations to our November Digital Integration Teacher of
the Month, Ms. Brittany Frohnhoefer.
These educators not only perform their respective jobs extremely well, they go above and beyond when called upon
to go the extra mile. All three consistently embody the essence of the #IrmoSTRONG spirit both in and out of the
classroom. Irmo Middle School is both very appreciative and extremely fortunate to count these professionals among
our faculty and staff. Join us in congratulating these incredible educators on their accomplishments.

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Calendar Card Order Form

Only exact cash or check accepted.

Checks payable to IMS PTSO and include your child's name on the check.
Limited quantity available.
First come first serve.
If you have any questions please email them to jmkgordon@me.com.
Thank you for supporting the Irmo Middle School PTSO.

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What are Individual

Graduation Plans (IGP)?
The Economic Development Act (EEDA) was passed in 2005. The implementation of this law was designed to
better prepare yourself for what you want to do after high school and to help you and your parents/guardians
make informed decisions about your education and future. The core of this law is the idea of planning. You,
along with your parent, will begin to create an IGP in the 8th grade as you prepare to enter the high school. During this time, you will select a cluster of study as you map out courses to take in high school. A career cluster is a
way of organizing classes around an occupational group. Each year in high school, you will review your IGP with a
guidance counselor and changes can be made based on your interest.
The Guidance Department will be scheduling the IGP meetings for 8th graders. You will receive a letter in the
mail over the next few of months which will have a scheduled appointment time. This meeting will allow your
student to choose a cluster of study. This plan can be changed and will be re-visited each year during registration. If you have a conflict or unable to attend the assigned appointment time, please contact Allison Redick at
803-476-3668 or email at aredick@lexrich5.org.

Tips for Parents

In helping your child
chose a Career path:
Start young. Develop career awareness by discussing career opportunities when reading books and
newspapers, watching television and observing
worksites.
Support you childs efforts to assess his or her own
interests, aptitudes, values and work styles.
Share your job experiences. A child delights in hearing about his or her parents jobs.
Encourage participation in job shadowing and internship opportunities.
Help your child understand the value and importance of his or her academic courses for success in a future
career.
6. Advise your child that there is more than one education pathway to a good job. More than 50% of the fastest growing jobs require an associates degree. There are a variety of routes to success: on the job training,
technical college, four year college, apprenticeships or the military.